Polls indicate the Parti Québécois vote has not budged but that the Liberal share of francophone federalists has increased as it sucks back panicky CAQ voters. That will make the Liberal leader the election’s new punching bag.

As the campaign enters Day 13 and the first leader’s debate looms Thursday — something 49% of Quebecers will tune into — expect the PQ and all the parties to come out guns blazing this week and in the debate.

“He’ll be the target of reporters’ questions and the target of the main candidates because he’s trending upward,” Léger Marketing polling president Jean-Marc Léger said in an interview. “The target has shifted. Now we’ll see if Mr. Couillard is able to weather the storm.

“My father used to use this expression: When we become strong in politics, we become vulnerable.”

At his first rally since the campaign started, Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) leader François Legault tried to crank up morale, with harsh words for PQ leader Pauline Marois but even harsher ones for Couillard.

Couillard has nothing really new to offer Quebecers, he said.

“He prays every morning that all we talk about is the old feud between the Yes and No (options),” Legault said at the rally in Repentigny which organizers said drew 700.

“All he says and does is say, “Are you scared, and if you are scared, join me.”

Marois, too, had choice words for Couillard as she continued to struggle to get her campaign back on message.

“It’s Philippe Couillard who pushed the idea it should be an election referendum,” Marois said after a meeting with Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre.